Fifth-grade teacher Monica Dutcher searches for a letter as she tidies up a wall featuring various clues and strategies for problem solving in preparation for the first day of school, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010 at Pinckney Elementary. Dutcher, who says she will be primarily teaching math to fifth and sixth graders, is one of several new teachers to the district.

Kevin Prather reads the paperwork for the Lawrence Education Association, and listens dutifully as the superintendent — and the director of instruction and curriculum, and the chief academic officer, and the school board president, and the representative from the Kansas National Education Association — all welcome him and 39 of his colleagues to the Lawrence school district.

That’s all fine, of course, but the new Title I math teacher would sure feel more comfortable cracking a book, or answering a question, or otherwise interacting with someone — anyone — at Central Junior High.

“There’s nerves, but mostly it’s just around this orientation part,” he said Tuesday morning, during a welcome breakfast at Free State High School. “I’m ready to get into the school. I’m ready to see some kids.”

Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year, indeed.

New teachers and others who deal directly with students opened their work schedules Tuesday with a series of orientation sessions, set to continue through Friday. Actual classes begin Wednesday for first- through sixth-graders, plus seventh- and 10th-graders; others are set to start later in the week.

More than 100 people in all attended the welcome breakfast, sponsored by the district, Lawrence Education Association and Lawrence Schools Foundation. Besides filling out paperwork, the new educators in attendance quickly found themselves being quizzed by none other than Kim Bodensteiner, the district’s chief academic officer.

Who, she asked, are the two most important people in your school?

The correct answers — that would be the secretary, and the custodian — came quickly from a side table.

“You’re a veteran,” Bodensteiner said.

Superintendent Rick Doll encouraged the new teachers, urging them to strive for excellence.

“We need you to be assertive,” he said. “We need you to speak your mind. And we need you to help us get better, because that’s what’s good for kids.”

The messages kept coming, and the new teachers kept listening. Among them was Marissa Diener, who had learned just this past Monday that she’d be teaching in Lawrence public schools.

She can’t wait — to find out what grade she’ll be teaching, in which school she’ll be teaching, and in what room she’ll be teaching.

“I’m excited to get into the classroom,” said the 23-year-old, added to accommodate for inevitable enrollment shifts among elementary schools. “Wherever it might be.”